Haunting Swamp
by RandomFavoriteCouples
Summary: This was inspired by the picture of Lock and Shock by RetroBratz on DA, check her out. Lock and Shock have a challenged going on where Shock can't talk/bug Lock because he finally helped with a project.Jack wants them to go to Haunting Swamp investige R
1. Chapter 1

**I DO NOT OWE THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS COPYRIGHT IF I DID MY BEST FRIEND WOULD POSSIBLY KILL ME TO GET THE RIGHTS TO JACK SKELLINGTON. THIS STORY WAS INSPIRED THE LOCK AND SHOCK PICTURE THAT WAS DRAWN BY RetroBatz ON DA SO GO CHECK OUT HER OUT! **

"Lock, we need to get this project done!" a fifteen year old girl yelled. She wore a dark purple hat with a black sash above the rim, a matching dress that reached her knees was laced with a light purple fabric and a little bow was below her neck, black tights and dark purple calf high boots hid her legs while her dark purple almost black and her amethyst eyes brought out her bright green skin thanks to tanning with Sally.

"Would you calm down and shut up?" a fifteen year old boy replied annoyed. He wore a dark red sweatshirt and black pants. His red hair was shoulder with the bangs curled up into horns while his devil tail wagged back and forth like it was pacing. His pale yellow eyes glared at the TV as he watched his game crashed.

"Lock, you just need to do one thing for the project and we're done!" Shock stated as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"I don't get to play the console by myself when Barrel is around so since he's not here I'm going to enjoy myself!" Lock replied glaring at the black screen.

Shock sighed, "Lock, why won't you just copy down the list while you wait."

The devil put the controller on his lap, stretch, and his arms behind and looked at her upside down, "You want me to copy a list for the project?"

"The teacher wants a list of activities that the partner did for the project in their own penmanship," Shock explained. Lock blinked at her showing that he had no idea what she just said, "Your handwriting."

"Oh, why can't you forge it?"

"Lock, please just do it. It's our last class together this year," Shock wailed rubbing her temples. "If you do that one thing, I won't bug you or ask you any questions for the remaining time that is left until Barrel returns from the Prankster Ghouls tour."

"That isn't until another two months," Lock replied thoughtful. "Think you can do it?"

"Yes," Shock answered.

"I don't believe that you can," Lock stated, "How about I will do that list but we also make this into a challenge?"

"I'm listening," Shock said.

"If you do bug or ask me anything in the two months," Lock started off, "for two months then you will have to do my every bid and call for a week when Barrel's gone."

"And if I don't?" Shock asked.

Lock turned around after putting the controller on the floor and faced her, "Since you're taking advanced classes, I'll figure out and write down the answers for all of your advanced assignments for you to copy down for a week."

"Very well," Shock said getting up, "I'll grab the list for you to copy. Thank you in advance."

After Lock copied the list, Shock went back upstairs to put the list away.

"Two months without Shock talking to me, she's so going to break," Lock said as he turned the game on. "I better have a good idea of what I want her to do for a week."

Shock returned with an Environmental Science textbook, an art textbook, a spider notebook, spider folder, spider binder and a black notebook. She sat with one leg near her chest while her other leg was outstretched, she opened the art textbook and started reading that.

After an hour of the game not crashing, Lock completed it throwing the controller behind him which accidently hit Shock's arm while she was writing in pen. "Sorry Shock but I finally completed the game and not only that, I beat Barrel's high score!"

Shock waved it off and continued writing, "No insult, no comeback line, no nothing?" Lock asked picking the controller up.

Shock ignored him and continued writing, "What did you do to get Shock mad?" a skeleton asked.

Lock had to tilt his head all the way back to look into the tuxedo wearing skeleton, "Oh, we're having a challenge Jack. She's going to try to not talk to me for two months!"

Jack put his bony hand to his head, "This isn't going to be good, and I need you two to do something for me."

"What is it Jack?" Shock asked tilting her head to look at Jack.

"I need you two to investigate the haunting swamp," he replied. "I already talked to your teachers and they Okayed it."

"You mean that one area that is said to be swallowing all the citizens that investigate it?" Lock asked. "You want us gone is that it?"

"Yes and no respectively," Jack replied. "You have the agility and quick thinking while Shock can ride a broom –"

"By default mostly," Shock said to Jack closing the Environmental Science book.

Jack ignored her, "problem solving, vast amount of knowledge," Lock scoffed at that earning a glare from Shock, "and a little bit more strength then you."

"So basically," Lock said, "You want us to explore together with our challenge going on?"

"That's the idea," Jack sighed, "Do it some other time would ya?"

"But Barrel would be back in two months and that's how long our challenge is," Lock complained.

"I don't care," Jack said walking away, "You two are going to investigate the area! You're going to go out tomorrow morning."

Lock made a face behind Jack's face as he walked out, "'You're going to go out tomorrow morning,' who does he think he is?" He waited for an answer from Shock but never got one, "No answer?"

Shock just went up the creaky old stairs to her room with all the school stuff she brought down. Lock sighed, "It hasn't even been three hours and I'm starting to break, oh joy!"

Then, literally and methodically, a light bulb came on, Lock looked up at the light bulb before snapping his fingers, "I got a brilliant idea! I'll annoy Shock until she snaps! Thank you light bulb!"

"Hey, no problem," the light bulb replied.

Lock just blinked at it before going upstairs to annoy Shock.

**Cliffhanger! Sorry RetroBratz it took me this long to get the story uploaded, I've been busy in real life and school is about to start. Yay! Last year of High School! Environmental Science is a real class because I'm taking it! So please read and review if you are on Fan fiction or read and leave a comment if I get this up on DA! Sorry it's so short too, I figured I'll make the next chapter longer! The picture inspiration will arrive in Chapter 2 or Chapter 3.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I DO NOT THE RIGHTS TO THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS IF I DID MY BEST FRIEND WOULD KILL ME TO GIVE HER THE RIGHTS TO JACK SKELLINGTON (YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE IF YOU READ THIS WHICH I DOUBT) AND THIS STORY WAS INSPIRED BY THE LOCK AND SHOCK PICTURE BY RETROBRATZ!**

Lock knocked on Shock's dark oak door, "Shock open up! I need to talk to you!" No sound movement came from the other side, "SHOCK! I really need to talk to you! It's a mid-life crisis for me!"

He started banging his head against her door, "Shock! I know you're in there, please open up!" he wailed.

A tap on his shoulder made him look behind him to see Shock standing behind him, "I thought you was in your room!"

Shock just shrugged her shoulders and pointed to her wet hair.

"You can talk you do realize that," Lock said turning to face her completely. She gave him a glare and shook her head. He took one step closer to her, "Didn't you hear what Jack said? We can do the challenge some other time." He crossed his fingers behind his back and smirked. "We will hold the deal off until we returned from the Haunting Swamp expedition, I promise I won't make you my slave for a week!"

'Does he think I'm that stupid? I lived with him long enough to know his body language!' Shock thought as she crossed her arms and looked up at Lock who was about three cemitmeters away from her. She shook her head no and went around him heading towards her room.

Lock put his hands on her shoulders and turned her around to face him, "Aren't you going to listen to my mid-life crisis?" No reply, "You're taking this way too seriously Lock! You're not old enough to HAVE a mid-life crisis!" Lock said then blinked while Shock smirked at him, "I did not just have a conversation with myself with what you would have said to me."

Shock patted his shoulders and went into her room, closing the door. Lock pounded on the door again, "Shock, listen to me!"

Shock smiled as she put her headphones on and started listening to her ipod while she finished her homework laying on her bed, 'What song should I listen to first while I completely ignore Lock?' she thought as she went through her song list.

"SHOCK!" Lock yelled as he came in with a math book that looked like it was brand new but had seen better days. "I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW TO DO ALL OF THIS!"

Shock looked up from her yearbook plans for her pages as Lock slammed his book down on her desk, 'He possibly hasn't tried' she thought.

"I know what you're thinking and that is I haven't tried but I have tried!" Lock said.

She just nodded slowly, "I did really," Lock protested then held a paper in front of Shock's face with a bunch of random numbers and pictures. Shock just handed it back to the devil and sighed. "Okay, I know it's messing but still I don't understand it!"

Shock grabbed her math homework and showed Lock the assignment with the one problem he couldn't understand, "Are you allowing me to copy?" Lock asked.

Shock shook her head and pointed at the assignment that was on top of her paper and then pointed to the problem in the book, "I've been working my brain too hard on a problem we wasn't assigned." Shock nodded her head smiling.

'This isn't going according to plan,' Lock thought as he bit his lip since his back was towards her. He looked at her broom and smiled. He put the assignment in his book, dashed for her broom and with his tail opened her window.

Shock just watched and while Lock held her broom outside the window, "Talk to me or I will toss your beloved broom outside and set it on fire."

Shock bit her lip to stop from laughing but in Lock's mind she was thinking about the decision, 'Ha, I finally got her.'

Shock sat in a fetal postion pulling her dress over her knees and motioned her head towards the window as if she was saying go ahead.

"You want me to throw your broom out the window?" Lock asked shocked.

Shock just shrugged putting her arms around her legs and smirking.

"You do realize we might need it tomarrow," Lock stated still holding the broom outside the window.

Shock just stared at Lock showing no emotion, 'Why won't she talk? Her beloved broom is going to get ruined!' Lock thought. "Say good-bye to your broom Shock," Lock said as he tossed it out the window.

Shock smiled as she moved to her door and motioned for Lock to follow her, which he didn't at first. Shock glared and beckoned him to follow again which he didn't. 'Uh-huh, I'm not going to get hit in the face with an iron pan since she doesn't have her broom!' Lock thought.

Shock smirked as an evil thought crossed her mind, 'Why don't I just drag him by the tail?' She motioned towards Lock with one hand while the other hand took her hat and put it on the ground. Lock just arched an eyebrow. She stomped on it pointing to his tail which Lock automatically wrapped around his leg, she motioned him to follow her again and he did.

She led him to the kitchen where she pointed to a list on the icebox, "It's our house rules Shock, what about them?" She held 3 fingers up and Lock's eyes grew big as he read the third rule out loud, "If one of us destroys an object that doesn't belong to them but to one of the other two, then the destroyer must buy the victim a brand new one with their own money." He face palmed himself.

Shock broke out laughing, she leaned against the old moscic counter to try and help her balance, Lock glared at her, "My stupidity amuses you now does it?" She shook her head no, her purple locks going in front of her face, she gets off of the counter and motions for Lock to follow her again.

As she walk pasted him, his tail unwrapped itself from his leg and went in front of her, blocking her path. "Tell me what made you laugh so hard," Lock commanded as his tail wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer. She crossed her arms and glared at Lock, "My tail won't let you go until you talk to me, Shocky," he whispered into her ear.

She restrained her shudder but her eyes held surprise in them, she snapped her fingers and a broom with some kind of dark brown wood with tan colored straw came and hit Lock in the face and tail. The broom distracted Lock so his tail loosened. Shock got out of his tail's hold and walked towards her room while the broom gave Lock one more hit in the face before following Shock.

"What just happened?" Lock asked confused and dizzy. He shook his head when he heard a door slam shut. "SHOCK!" he yelled running upstairs and stopping in front of Shock's door. When he tried to open it, it wouldn't budge. "Shock, let me in!"

Shock leaned against her door and fell onto her floor with her head buried in her arms. She heard Lock yell and felt him try to get in. "Let me in Shock!" after a few moments of Lock pounding on the door, Shock heard him leave telling her that he would be back.

Shock quickly opened a drawer at her rotting bedside table and what seemed to be a glowing color stuffed dragon that was green but when she took it out it turn to blue. She put the dragon near the door and grabbed her yearbook plans and backpack which held her all of her homework. She sat down on the ground with her back leaning against the door. The small dragon flew onto her head and bent its head to look at her, "What's wrong Shock?" it asked hissing the 's' sounds in a sad voice that sound like raindrops.

"It's nothing," she replied.

"My voice wouldn't sound like it was raining outside if nothing was wrong, now spill!" it said.

Shock heard Lock coming back and took the dragon off her head, "Shh," she whispered to the fire-breather, "Lock's coming and we have a challenged going on."

"Shock, open the door or I'll burn it down," Lock said on the outside holding onto which seemed like a slice of chocolate pie with spider legs on top. When he didn't get an answer he checked behind him this time but when he see Shock behind him, he put the plate with the pie slice on it on the floor and started ramming into the door.

When Lock threatened to burn the door down, Shock put her yearbook plans in her backpack and grabbed her hat that has been on the floor since she stomped on it. She put the dragon back on her head and put the hat over top. Her broom came towards her and she exited through the window Lock had tossed her old broom.

When Lock rammed into the door, it opened and he saw no sign of Shock. "What did I do to get her mad at me and when did she get a new broom?" He exited her room, closed her door, and started to put the pie in the fridge when the telephone started to ring.

"Hello, Lock speaking," Lock said answering it.

"I told you we would meet again, Shock," a dark voice said. "I'll be waiting, Beep!"

Lock gave a questioning look at the phone before putting it back on the jack, "I will be doing her homework for a week. I will have her tell me about what this means."

**ANOTHER CLIFFHANGER! I'M SO EVIL! WHO'S THE PERSON ON THE PHONE, WHERE DID SHOCK GO, WHEN DID SHOCK GET A NEW BROOM, WHAT DID LOCK SAY TO GET SHOCK MAD, WHO'S THE DRAGON, WILL SHOCK GIVE UP THE CALLENGE, HOW'S BARREL DOING WITH THE TOUR, AREN'T HALF OF THESE QUESTIONS ALREADY BEEN ASKED BY LOCK? FIND OUT NEXT CHAPTER TO A FEW MORE QUESTIONS AND THE PICTURE ASPECT WILL DEFIENTLY COME IN PLAY NEXT CHAPTER SO READ AND REVIEW IF YOU ARE ON FANFIC OR READ AND LEAVE A COMMENT IF YOU ARE ON DA! REMEMBER TO THANK RETROBRATZ FOR THE STORY TOO!**


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm sorry for the wait but I've been busy with school, -cough- mom –cough- and finding a job. Anyway enough with the real excuses and let's start this chapter and this is where RetroBratz picture takes place. One more thing; if you played Professor Layton and Silent Hill please tells me if you think that would be a good crossover. **

**READ AND REVIEW PLEASE!**

~The Next Day~

Shock looked in Lock's room, to wake him up. Dawn was about ready to show itself and she couldn't find any signs of Lock. She looked in the kitchen to see if he left a note but there was none, 'Where is he?' she thought. She looked in every room that was in the tree house. Her eyes went wide when she checked the last room, 'He couldn't have gone to Haunting Swamp by himself, could he?'

Shock sat on her broom and flew through the sky, heading towards Haunting Swamp. "Why did he have to go and call me Shocky?" she asked herself as she flew through trees. Most of the day passed by dodging trees that had black leaves, it soon blended in to dodging bare branches. "I must be getting closer to Haunting Swamp," she said.

She stopped and looked around, dead black trees surrounded the area, black murky water crawled its way in between the trees and underneath the water, Shock saw some white stuff in the water and she didn't want to know what it was. She shivered a little, "Please tell me that Lock is safe and I'm wrong." She started to zoom looking for anything red.

She saw Lock near the middle of the area but the water there seemed to be separated and flowing down into a dark abyss. A black hand reached out and grabbed Lock's leg, "LOCK!" Shock yelled zooming towards him.

~Later last night~

Lock paced in the entry way waiting for Shock to come home, "Where is she?" He clenched and unclenched his fist unconsciously. 'Did she head towards Haunting Swamp without me? Who was that guy and how did he know Shock?' he thought. He slammed his fist in his hand, "That's it, I'll go to Haunting Swamp and see if she did go there and who knows, perhaps I'll meet this person face to face!"

Lock ran on adrenline the way there, he was too focused on getting there that he didn't pay attention to his surroundings. He didn't notice the change of trees, or the white stuff in the black water, what he did notice however was the giant hole he was about ready to fall into.

He skidded into a stop, he looked down into the darkness when a voice, a raspy, gruff, dark voice that seemed to hold knowledge of all the dark arts and deeds, "Who are you to trespass into my territory? Are you here to try save your fallen comrades who dared to go in front of me? I am expecting one and ONLY one person and you are not her so I'll ask for the last time, who are you?"

"Why should I tell you my name when you haven't told me yours?" Lock asked back.

"Idiot of a fool, I do not answer to people like you who don't know fear, I will ask you again and I expect you to answer or else your life will be mine. WHO ARE YOU?"

"I have known fear unlike you," Lock replied back snidely.

A black hand came out and grabbed Lock's leg when a yell, "LOCK!"

The Black Hand jerked Lock towards the abyss making Lock loss his balance. Shock quickly grabbed Lock's wrist, causing the hand to pull harder making Shock's hat fall off.

The little dragon from below, glowing black, roared and charged after the hat, the hand let go of Lock's leg and instinctively, Lock grasped Shock's wrist as she soared up into the dark sky and in front of the moon which was casting a purple glow.

Shock soon lost feeling in her hand due to Lock's grip on her wrist, but she didn't care, she felt tears running down her face as she flew away. "SHOCK!" the voice in the abyss yelled angrily.

Shock flew towards the trees that have the leaves, she saw a cliff and descended closer to the ground, "Lock, you can let go," Shock said once Lock's feet was touching the ground.

"I know," Lock said letting go of Shock's wrist.

Shock flew around and got off the broom, she put the broom near a tree and turned towards Lock, "You idiot! What made you decide to go to Haunting Swamp by yourself?" Shock yelled, tears still going down her face.

"Shock, I-"Lock started to say but was interrupted by Shock.

"You won, that's fine by me!" Shock yelled. "I lost my friend that my mother gave me before I died and I ALMOST lost you, Lock!"

Lock grabbed Shock by the shoulders, "If you would let me finish, I thought you was here since you left the house last night and you got that mysterious phone call."

"I didn't know I had a phone call," Shock replied shaking his hands away from her shoulders. "I thought you knew me better too, Lock! I always go to the cemetery if I'm mad at you or Barrel!" She turned around with her arms crossed.

"Shock," Lock said trying to get the witch's attention, "Shock, listen to me! If you would've known what the phone call consisted for you then you would've done the same thing!"

Shock spoke under her breath something Lock didn't hear, "Shock, what you said?"

Shock turned around anger in her usual calm amethyst eyes, "quote on quote, 'I told you we would meet again Shock! I'll be waiting!' was that it?"

"Yes, it was."

Shock turned back around, her body started to tense, "It'll be best if you return back to the tree house and wait for Barrel."

"What? Why?" Lock asked stunned.

"That way Barrel won't be alone at the house. Remember what happened last time we left him home by himself."

Lock didn't need that reminder of what happened, "You're not doing this alone, Shock! Jack said we should work together." He smirked, "Doesn't that sound familiar?"

"This isn't your fight, Lock."

"How do you figure?" Lock yelled starting to lose his practice.

"It just isn't your fight, Lock!" Shock replied turning around to face him, "Why can't you understand that?"

Lock took a couple steps towards Shock and wrapped his tail around her waist, "I believe that we are birds of a feather for now and forever," he whispered.

"Lock, please just go home, someone has to take care of Barrel and you're the closest to him," Shock pleaded.

"I'm sure that if we're not back by the time we get home, Jack and Sally will take Barrel in," Lock said taking his tail away from her waist and put his hands on her shoulders.

Shock heard something flapping above them; she looked up in the sky and saw something cover the purple glowing moon and getting bigger. She gasp as she recognized the black shadow, she pushed Lock out of the way as a black claw came from the ground and grabbed both of her knees and pulled her down into the ground.

The glowing black dragon soared towards them, dropping Shock's hat on Lock's head perfectly to where his bangs still showed. It started digging at the ground that Shock was taken under; it flew up and blew dark purple fire at the ground which did nothing.

The dragon landed on the ground and turned its head to face Lock, "You, come here!"

"Why and who are you?"

"Mackenzie," she replied before she blew fire on Lock's leg.

"What are you doing?" Lock asked freaking out.

The fire went out instantly and the dragon flew close enough to Lock's face where he had to go cross-eyed, "I was healing you injury and you are going to help me get Shock back!"

Lock smiled, allowing his fangs to show, "I planned on getting her back with or without your help."

**Where is Barrel through all of this? Is he enjoying his tour? Who tried to take Lock? Who took Shock? Why is this Shock's fight? Why does Mackenzie change colors and how does she know Shock so well? Where is Shock? Find out in the next chapter and please forgive me for the really late chapter update. I've been busy like I said in the author's note above.**


	4. Chapter 4

**I do not owe Nightmare Before Christmas and I haves a feeling that I'm going to be doing a lot of updating today and tomorrow as my treat to all of you for Halloween. So enjoy chapter four of Haunting Swamp and don't forget to review or a leave a comment. This might be short so I'm terribly sorry but if this chapter goes the way I want it to flow, then the next chapter will be hopefully long. **

~~With Shock~~

Shock woke up in a cell; her right leg was chained to the wall while her dress was torn in spots while her hat was the skeleton that was occupying the bed there. "Where am I?" she asked herself quietly.

She screamed as a shock went through her neck, she looked down to see that someone had placed an electric collar on her neck, 'Great,' she thought. 'I'm at his mercy again.'

She heard footsteps coming closer and she trembled, fearing for the worse as she saw a pair of yellow eyes coming closer in the dark.

"It's been awhile hasn't it Shock?" a voice said before Shock went unconscious mysterious.

~~With Lock~~

"So, how come I never met you before?" Lock asked, trying to make conversation with Mackenzie but wasn't succeeding as Mackenzie ignored. "I'm talking to you little pest."

The dragon rolled her eyes as they went back to the dark hole Lock was at when he tried to go face to face with the thing that was taking citizens of Halloween Town away. "Just keep one hand on the side and slide down," she said as she flew down slowly.

"I'm taking orders from a dragon, oh how the great have fallen," Lock said but he jumped down keeping one hand on the side. His hand soon grabbed onto a ledge, "Hey, fire mouth, I found a ledge," Lock yelled.

Mackenzie flew up and hissed, "Keep it down, he might hear you," she sniffed the air, "good job by the way, let's go this way," and she flew ahead.

"That stupid dragon could wait for me," Lock mumbled as he pulled himself up on the ledge and chased after the swift dragon.

Lock caught up to a mid-flight stone Mackenzie, "Huh? What happened to you?" He receives no answer, "I should've known that I won't get an answer," a sound was heard. "What was that?" He looked around to find a hiding spot; he looked up to the ceiling and saw bats with yellow eyes looking down. He climbed up there and hung upside down by his tail away from the bats that he didn't frightened them but close to where it looked like he was one of them.

A sown up bag was walking with an unconscious Shock over his shoulders, "Well, well, well, it's been awhile Shock, hasn't it? Ever since you the true Boogie boys betrayed me," it said.

'Oogie Boogie,' Lock thought angrily.

"Whatever you do, don't worry your pretty head about what I might do to you that is if you give me all the information I want to know, your highness," Oogie said as he walked away. "Oh, I forgot to tell your little stone dragon friend hi."

"What is Oogie Boogie doing here? I thought Jack had gotten rid for good the third time," Lock said to himself quietly as he crept in the shadows following Oogie Boogie and Shock.

Oogie Boogie put Shock on a bed and tied her to it with electric chains, "I'll be back with a friend that we both know, oh, don't mind the company, they were so excited that they turned into statues." He laughed as he walked away, not noticing Lock.

'You have a lot of questions to answer, Shock,' Lock thought before going in there. He noticed that all the missing citizens were there and they were statues. 'I need to get Shock, Mackenzie, and me out of here soon.'

He snapped his fingers and a tiny flame came to life and burned the chains, be careful not to burn Shock.

When he got to the last chain, Shock started to stir. "Shock," the young devil whispered as the last chain was burned through.

Shock opened her purple eyes to meet Lock's yellow; she still had the collar on, "We need to get out of here after we grabbed the statue of Mackenzie."

Shock nodded and got up, she quickly took the collar off, "Lead the way, Lock."

Shock followed Lock to where Mackenzie was Shock muttered a small spell which turned the dragon back to life.

"Shock!" Mackenzie said happily as her colors changed to a shimmering green.

"We need to get out of here and somewhere safe," Lock said quickly, "Especially since I have a lot of questions for you Shock."

"Why for?" Shock asked.

Mackenzie created a portal and with one of her claws, grabbed the witch and devil and flew them into the portal.

Lock took in his new surroundings to see an eerie purple light shroud the land, a gothic castle that reached the sky and its dark clouds, a wrought iron fence with spikes was protecting the castle, "Where are we?"

"Well, this is a safest place I could think have on that spot," Mackenzie said as she landed on Shock's shoulder, "What happened to your hat?"

"It was on some skeleton," she replied, "Welcome to the dark side of Halloween Town, Holloween Town Lock."

**Sorry it's short but the next chapter should make up for it since we are going to learn about Shock, Shock and Lock's relationship will go up (^_^) and we will finally see how Barrel is doing?**


	5. Chapter 5

**Here, we go I had this idea for a while but I really couldn't figure out how to word it so please enjoy!**

"This looks nothing like Haloweentown!" Lock exclaimed as they walked closer to the castle swiftly, "Will we be able to get in there?"

"Mackenzie, this isn't really a safe place to be now, especially with those two bug heads on the loose," Shock said as two ghost guards appeared and opened the gate for them while bowing, "Thank you!"

"Shock," Lock said sternly, "Don't forget that you have questions to answer."

"I won't," Shock said as they entered a garden that had brown grass and rose bushes with black wilted roses, stone benches were places randomly about the garden. They started going up to the grey stone steps towards the black gothic castle that with further inspection, had dark tinted stain glass windows. "We'll get something to eat and while we eat, you can be asking me the questions."

A man with white hair that went to his neck came out, he was nicely built with red eyes, his dark purple robes swept behind me while his black leather shoes made hard clicking noise as he walked, "You two," he said in a booming voice pointing at Mackenzie and Shock, "You two couldn't come at a more perfect time!"

"What do you mean by that?" Mackenzie asked.

"Whatever it is, I'm afraid I won't be able to get to it at first," Shock said walking up to the man in courtesy, "for I have previous engagements made. Lock, come on."

"Are you just going to ignore your people Shock," the man asked slightly outraged.

"For starters, I didn't know we was at war or else I would've been here while Barrel was away," Shock replied with as much anger as the man. She looked at Lock and softened, "and second of all, a wise king once told me that if I don't take care of my friends that I know I can trust, how can I take care of my people along with their trust."

Shock went through the doors while Lock quickly chased after her, "Care to explain," Lock asked as they walked down a long hallway with dark purple carpet, the flames on torches that lined the wall were a light purple color.

"What do you want me to explain? Who he is? How I know the phone call message to me? Why I cared if we were in a war? Can you be a little bit more specific?" Shock asked as they started going up a spiral staircase.

"Are you going to make this difficult?" Lock asked as he started to get dizzy from the stairs.

"I can only tell you so much before this becomes a part of your responsibility," Shock said turning around on the stairs looking at Lock, "whether you like it or not, I refuse to put this burden on your shoulders Lock."

"Why won't you allow me to help you?" Lock asked hissing.

"Did you not hear me? I don't want to burden yourself with my responsibilities! If I allow you to help me with this Lock, I know for a fact that you or Barrel would never look at me the same again and I don't want that!" Shock said as she turned around and began walking away.

"What makes you say that?" Lock asked following her.

Shock reached the top of the staircase and continued walking, "I've lived with you two boys as long as I can remember, I know how you two operate!"

Lock saw a crevice in a wall, and smirked. He wrapped his one of his hands around Shock's waist while he used his tail to cover her mouth. He dragged her in the crevice where no one can see them and pinned her against the wall, "Perhaps you do, but I know for a fact that no matter what happens, Barrel and I will still accept you as the Shock we know," he leaned his face very close to Shock's. He noticed the increase in her heartbeat and how shallow her breathing got, "Shocky."

Mackenzie feeling awkward there flew off, "I'll be in your room Shock."

Shock hissed back, "I don't care if you two would still accept me as me, but did you think that perhaps I won't accept me as the me that you know! Did it ever cross your mind I don't want you to get hurt protecting me from something that I should be doing instead of you?"

Lock yellowed eyes stared into her purple ones, not once breaking the contact between them, "Shock, how many times have you protected us from the raw wrath Oogie Boogie gave us everytime we failed him? Do you honestly think that you'll the only one who observes people Shock? I see how whenever Barrel's Halloween candy is gone you gave him half of yours while I get the other half."

"Well, at least I know you're not blind," Shock replied snidely. "Now I know for a fact that you are hungry so if you be so kind as to let me go I'll go get us some food!"

"No," Lock growled, "Why won't you quit acting like you know it all and let us help you? Not once have you asked for our help."

"Why should this time be any different?" Shock asked.

"Because Jack asked us to break our challenge and to work together," Lock replied tightening his hold on her waist, bringing her closer to his.

"We didn't break our challenge!" Shock yelled quietly, "You won you idiot! Besides, you don't understand and with how things are going now between us, you probably never will."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lock asked.

A man, around 5'7 stood in the light, his hands were on his hip and by that prose, he didn't look very happy, "What do you plan on doing to my little sister?" he asked.

"Apollo, it's nothing like what it seems," Shock said getting out of Lock's grip, "We're just getting into one of our infamous arguments."

"It didn't look like that," Apollo replied.

"If you're thinking what I think you're thinking than you should us fight at the treehouse," Shock replied sharply, "Besides if you are thinking what I think you are thinking than you should look at your own actions and evaluate youself." She took Lock's hand and dragged him out of the crevice and spoke directly to Apollo, "Can you please take him back to the treehouse in Halloweentown with my definiation of gently, not yours?"

Apollo growled but did take Lock with him to Halloweentown.

Shock looked out the nearby window and cried silently, "Lock, please forgive but I don't you to get hurt," she took out a gold locket that hung on a chain, "I can't afford to lose her, you're too precious to me for that."

~With Lock~

Apollo was hiding behind a veil of black as he shoved Lock onto the floor, "If I see you with my sister like that, you'll pay. That I'll make sure of," he disappeared as soon as he appeared.

"I need to get Barrel and find a way to get back to Shock, I've almost lost her too many times for me to handle."

~With Barrel~

A boy with light blue skin, green hair and black innocent eyes was dress up as a skeleton eating a lollipop, "Hey Lock!" he yelled as he walked into the tree house.

"You're already back, Barrel?" Lock asked shocked.

"Yes, you see, on of the members quit so they couldn't finish the tour," Barrel replied. "What's wrong with you?"

"I'll explain as we make our way to Jack quickly," Lock said holding onto the back of Barrel's shirt running into the town square to talk with the pumpkin juice.

**Barrel's in it now! YAY! Read and review and sorry it's short but it's going on 1am where I live so yea. **


	6. Chapter 6

I'm slowly updating all of my stories and I have more motivation to write now since I have a nice desk that makes it easier to type. YAY! Funny how life works isn't?

~~With Barrel and Lock~~

"You want me to do what?" Jack asked confused as Lock got down explaining everything.

"You had a better going on with Shock?" Barrel gasp, "What made you do something like that?"

"I'll explain it to you later Barrel," Lock said. "Jack, we need to go back to uh, Holloween Town and soon,"

"Can I ask a question?" Barrel questioned.

"No, there isn't any time to lose, Shock could be in danger and-"Lock started to say but Jack held up his hand as a signal to stop.

"I'm sure Shock can take care of herself and if what you said is true, she has Mackenzie to help protect her too," Jack said to Lock. "Now Barrel, what is your question?"

"What and where exactly is Holloween Town?" Barrel asked.

"That was actually a smart question," the devil said.

"Holloween Town is pretty much a darker version of Halloween Town. Every world has one, including the living but the only problem is, the other versions of the worlds likes to stay quiet and the inhabitants like to deal with their own problems and try their best to make sure that we don't get involved," the skeleton king replied.

"For some reason Jack," his wife Sally said, her red hair down to her back and her dress of different colored rags reached her knees, "you're holding something back."

"I am," Jack said. "The inhabitants of the other versions don't like us to interfere with their troubles, but they don't mind helping us with ours and even through none of us leaders like it because, well, in my opinion, we are using them without paying anything back in return. Not to mention that they are sneaky enough to act like one of the native people living in the other version to where no one, no matter how wise they are, could tell."

"Okay, not that question is answer on what it is," Lock said impatiently. "How do we get there?"

"It's nearly impossible to get there Lock," Jack said. "Not unless you found a – Eureka! That's it!"

"What is it?" the two boys asked.

Jack smacked his forehead, "Of course! Someone from the darker side of the world has to go there again a couple of times to survive, they like to have an area that they go to once they feel homesick or just want to get away from their friends. So Shock needed to have a place where the two of you don't bother her."

"The cemetery," Barrel and Lock said together before racing out of the door.

"Jack was it wise to tell them that?" Sally asked.

"Not really, but they showed how much their friendship with Shock means, I just hope that Shock will let them to help after all that she has done for them," Jack said hopefully.

~~With Shock~~

Shock now wearing a black shirt and black jeans but no one would know that underneath her clothing was a skin tight army that pretty much protected her more than what her witch uniform did. She hoped onto a large black dragon that had purple eyes, "You ready to do this Mackenzie?"

"Yes, I think that this family feud of yours needs to put to an end and we can get all the missing people from Halloween Town back to normal too," she replied in a slight whisper.

"Then let's go," Shock said as Mackenzie started to fly in the air.

After an hour or two of flying around the cities that the kingdom had to protect to make sure none of the enemy was camping there along with neighboring forests, they started to head back.

"You know, Shock, Lock seemed bound determine to help you with what is going between this and your father, what makes you think he won't try to find a way to get back here?" Mackenzie asked.

Shock put some of her black hair behind her ear and sighed, "I know Mackenzie, Lock is stubborn and I know he will find a way to come back here no matter what the cost is but- wait! There are objects moving down there, one seems red and another one seems black and white. They're heading for the castle!"

"On it," Mackenzie replied, "Hold on tight!"

Mackenzie leaned to the right to go downward while keeping up with her speed, once she was in the forest she was doing twists and turns dodging the tree branches, she skidded to the start in front of the castle gates and opening her mouth to let out some fire breath.

Someone shouted something on the lines of, "That's a dragon! A very ticked off dragon off that! What did you do to make a dragon made at you Lock?"

"I didn't do anything yet!" Lock said in reply.

Mackenzie growled, "Shock duck!" Mackenzie moved her mouth towards the sky and let out the fireball that she was getting ready, once it left her mouth; little black embers were falling from the sky.

"Speak of the devil himself," Shock said once she sat up straight and Mackenzie lowered her head, "no pun intended Lock."

"Shock!" Barrel said shocked, "What are you doing on that dragon don't you know it's dangerous?"

"And don't the two of you know," Apollo said coming out of the gates, "That you don't belong here!"

"Whose he?" Barrel asked.

"Apollo, this isn't the time to lecture them," Shock said as she got off the dragon, "Besides, they won't listen to you anyways. They'll listen to me and I'm starting to think that we could use their help but I will not discuss the plans with you since you don't make the calls here."

Mackenzie went back to smaller self and curled up on Shock's shoulder, "So, if you would be so kind as to excuse us Apollo, we have a report to make. Lock and uh, skeleton dude, follow Shock please, I'm sure he'll know what to do with the two of you."

"Name is Barrel," Barrel stated. "Not skeleton dude."

"Barrel," Shock hissed, "Just follow me, both of you!"

**Where are they going? Who are they going to see? What exactly is going on? Will the boys finally be able to get some questions answered? Will they listen to Shock? Who knows, I don't even know! Leave a message after the beep please =)**

***BEEP***


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